Abstract: Methods and systems for content-aware mapping/error protection are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include controlling a MAC layer and/or a PHY layer (PHY/MAC layer), in a wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate multimedia information based on content of the multimedia information, which may comprise video information, audio information, and/or data. The controlling of the PHY/MAC layer may comprise selecting a forward error correction code and modulation to be applied to portions of the multimedia information, and selecting one or more antenna to transmit the portions of the multimedia information. The selection criteria may be based on priority assigned to the portions of the multimedia information, and on feedback information from the receiving device and/or a receiver co-located with the device transmitting the multimedia information.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for providing visually related content description to physical layer are provided. A MAC layer and/or a PHY layer in a wireless communication device may be controlled for processing at least one media object in an audiovisual scene based on metadata information that corresponds to the audiovisual scene. The metadata information may result from, for example, MPEG-4 encoding of the audiovisual scene. Each media object may be forward error corrected based on a determined priority level, such as foreground and background priorities, that results from the metadata information. In this regard, the number of bits utilized for protection and/or the RF modulated scheme may be selected in accordance with the priority level. The RF modulation may be, for example, QPSK modulation or 16 QAM modulation. The metadata information and the processed media objects may then be wireless communicated.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for content-aware mapping/error protection using different spatial streams are presented. Aspects of a system for handling multimedia information in a communication system may include a transmitter that enables control of a MAC layer and/or a PHY layer, in a wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate different portions of multimedia information via different spatial streams based on content of the multimedia information. The system may also comprise a processor that enables definition of a plurality of priority classes based on the content associated with at least a portion of the multimedia information.

Abstract: A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system in which wireless terminals each operate upon battery power. One of the wireless terminals acts as a Master to coordinate the transmission and receptions of the Slaves so as to reduce the power consumed by all of the devices. The Slaves operate according to a power up and power down sequence to conserve battery power. Further, the terminals may alternate between being Slaves and being the Master to equalize battery consumption of the wireless terminals.

Abstract: New version packet data devices support a backwards-compatible signal format. New version devices operate within a first frequency band while old version devices operate within a second frequency band. The first frequency band differs from but overlaps with the second frequency band. The new version devices may operate on a first carrier frequency (within the first frequency band) while old version devices may operate at a second carrier frequency (within the second frequency band). The new version devices and/or the old version devices may also support carrier-less modulations. Preamble, header, and trailer portions of a new version signal include a plurality of spectral copies of a baseband modulated signal. One or more of these spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal is/are indistinguishable from corresponding components of an old version signal. The payload of the new version signal may be formed in the same manner or may be formed in have a wider bandwidth, higher data rate format.

Abstract: A frame format for high data throughput wireless local area network transmissions includes a first preamble segment, a second preamble segment, and a variable length data segment. The first preamble segment includes at least one training sequence and a high throughput channel indication. The second preamble segment includes a high data throughput training sequence when the high throughput channel indication is set and includes a null segment when the high data throughput training sequence is not set.

Abstract: A method for multiple input multiple output wireless communication begins by determining protocols of wireless communication devices within a proximal region. The method continues by determining whether the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are of a like protocol. The method continues by determining the number of transmit antennas. The method continues, when the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are of the like protocol, formatting a preamble of a frame of the wireless communication utilizing at least one of cyclic shifting of symbols, cyclic shifting of tones, sparse tone allocation, and sparse symbol allocation based on the number of transmit antennas.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) disposed in a data reception path to convert data from an analog format to a digital format is switched between two or more power modes to conserve power when data is not being received. ADC stays in a lower power-lower precision mode until an inbound data is detected, at which time the ADC switches to a higher power-higher precision mode to convert the data. Once data conversion is completed, the ADC switches back to the lower power-lower precision mode to conserve power.

Abstract: An RFIC transmitter includes a digital transmit processing module, a digital to analog converter, a filter and gain module, an up-conversion module, a power amplifier, and a transmit signal strength module. The transmit signal strength module is coupled to generate a gain adjust signal based on a measure of transmit power of an outbound RF signal, wherein the transmit signal strength module provides the gain adjust signal to at least one of the digital transmitter processing module, the digital to analog converter, the filter and gain module, the up-conversion module, and the power amplifier.

Abstract: A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system in which wireless terminals each operate upon battery power. One of the wireless terminals acts as a Master to coordinate the transmission and receptions of the Slaves so as to reduce the power consumed by all of the devices. The Slaves operate according to a power up and power down sequence to conserve battery power. Further, the terminals may alternate between being Slaves and being the Master to equalize battery consumption of the wireless terminals.

Abstract: A frame format for high data throughput wireless local area network transmissions includes a first preamble segment, a second preamble segment, and a variable length data segment. The first preamble segment includes a first training sequence, a second training sequence, and a high throughput channel indication, wherein the first training sequence is within a first set of subcarriers of a channel and the second training sequence is within a second set of subcarriers of the channel, wherein the first set of subcarriers is a subset of the second set of subcarriers. The second preamble segment includes a third training sequence within a third set of subcarriers of the channel, wherein the second set of subcarriers is a subset of the third set of subcarriers. The variable length data segment utilizes the third set of subcarriers to convey data.

Abstract: An RF transceiver includes a baseband processing module, a transmitter section, and a receiver section. The baseband processing module convert outbound data into a plurality of outbound symbol streams, wherein each of the plurality of outbound symbol streams is outputted as one or more frames, wherein a frame of the one or more frames includes a setup portion and a data portion, wherein the set up portion includes at least one of a training sequence field and a signal field, and wherein the set up portion is formatted in accordance with one of a plurality of protocols. The baseband processing module further converts a plurality of inbound symbol streams into inbound data. The transmitter section converts the plurality of the outbound symbol streams into a plurality of outbound RF signals. The receiver section converts a plurality of inbound RF signals into the plurality of inbound symbol streams.

Abstract: A radio frequency receiver for discriminating a modulation type to decode a signal field of an encoded signal in a wireless communication system. The radio frequency (RF) receiver receives an encoded signal having a preamble training sequence associated with a frame, the preamble training sequence including the signal field. The radio frequency receive generates at least a first log-likelihood ratio (LLR) stream and a second LLR stream for each of a plurality of sub-symbols for a predetermined portion of the received encoded signal based upon an m-bit wide modulation reference, wherein m represents the bit width of the modulation reference. The first LLR stream and the second LLR stream each include a plurality of LLR values. The plurality of LLR values of the first LLR stream are summed to produce a first cumulative LLR, and the plurality of LLR values of the second LLR stream are summed to produce a second cumulative LLR.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) disposed in a data reception path to convert data from an analog format to a digital format is switched between two or more power modes to conserve power when data is not being received. ADC stays in a lower power-lower precision mode until an inbound data is detected, at which time the ADC switches to a higher power-higher precision mode to convert the data. Once data conversion is completed, the ADC switches back to the lower power-lower precision mode to conserve power.

Abstract: New version packet data devices support a backwards-compatible signal format. New version devices operate within a first frequency band while old version devices operate within a second frequency band. The first frequency band differs from but overlaps with the second frequency band. The new version devices may operate on a first carrier frequency (within the first frequency band) while old version devices may operate at a second carrier frequency (within the second frequency band). The new version devices and/or the old version devices may also support carrier-less modulations. Preamble, header, and trailer portions of a new version signal include a plurality of spectral copies of a baseband modulated signal. One or more of these spectral copies of the baseband modulated signal is/are indistinguishable from corresponding components of an old version signal. The payload of the new version signal may be formed in the same manner or may be formed in have a wider bandwidth, higher data rate format.

Abstract: A method for configuring a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication begins by generating a first preamble for a first antenna of the MIMO communication, wherein the first preamble includes a carrier detect field, a first channel select field, a first signal field, and a second signal field. The method continues by generating a second preamble for at least one other antenna of the MIMO communication, wherein the second preamble includes the carrier detect field, a plurality of channel select fields, and the second signal field. The method continues by simultaneously transmitting the carrier detect field via the first antenna and the least one other antenna. The method continues by transmitting the first channel select field and the first signal field via the first antenna.

Abstract: A network interface is presented that receives packet data from a shared medium and accomplishes the signal processing required to convert the data packet to host computer formatted data separately from receiving the data packet. The network interface receives the data packet, converts the analog signal to a digitized signal, and stores the resulting sample packet in a storage queue. An off-line processor, which may be the host computer itself, performs the signal processing required to interpret the sample packet. In transmission, the off-line process converts host-formatted data to a digitized version of a transmission data packet and stores that in a transmission queue. A transmitter converts the transmission data packet format and transmits the data to the shared medium.

Abstract: A method includes an access point providing a request for co-location interference information to at least one multiple protocol device. The method continues with the at least one multiple protocol device obtaining co-location interference information in response to the request. The method continues with the at least one multiple protocol device providing the co-location interference information to the access point.

Abstract: A method of controlling power levels on a plurality of transmit streams in a single radio transceiver includes, for each of the plurality of transmit streams, detecting an output power level and sampling the output power level, digitizing the sample output power level, producing the digitized sample to a baseband processor. The baseband processor is operable to perform rate based compensation on the digital sample, to integrate and dump a plurality of digitized samples over a period that exceeds a transmission frame period to produce an average value over a specified number of samples. Thereafter, the processor is operable to convert the integrated plurality of digitized samples to a normalized value and to comparing the normalized value to a target value to generate a power index value to determine an output power level with rate based compensation.

Abstract: Analog signal paths are utilized between a baseband processor and a radio front end to support high throughput communications for a multiple in multiple out radio transceiver that support communications over two or more antennas. Specifically, analog differential I and Q path communication signals are exchanged between a radio front end core and a baseband processor to maximize throughput capacity for high data rate signals. Along the same lines, the impedances of traces and the interface are matched to reduce I/Q imbalance.